Doreen Wohl, director of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, believes the situation is even worse than the numbers indicate because of the city's fingerprinting requirement, which discourages many from applying for food stamps.

"Finger imaging is something you do for criminals in this country," Wohl said.

City officials defended the fingerprinting requirement as a necessary tool to prevent fraud.

Because the food stamp program is federally funded, it is not in danger from the state budget crunch. But advocates worry that the fiscal crisis will cut funding for other vital hunger programs.

"This community has always been in a crisis, and now we are in a much deeper crisis," said Christy Robb, director of the food pantry at the Hour Children Community Outreach in Long Island City, Queens.